DESCRIPTION

LAMINATING METHOD AND APPARATUS

Technical Field

The present invention relates to laminating method and apparatus for joining a strip of film and a substrate, and particularly relates to laminating method and apparatus in which a defective portion of the film is automatically removed.

Background Art

Conventionally, a laminating apparatus is employed in a liquid-crystal production line, a semiconductor production line and so forth wherein a film and the like having photosensitivity is joined to a glass substrate, a semiconductor substrate and so forth. In the laminating apparatus, the film is superimposed on one surface of the respective substrates successively fed at predetermined intervals, and a pair of laminating rollers (joining member) pinches the substrate and the film to joint them with pressure.

The film includes a base film, a resin layer formed on the base film, and a protective layer stacked on the resin layer. As to this film, the protective layer is peeled, and then the resin layer is joined to the substrate. After that, the base film is -peeled to leave only the resin layer on the substrate.

The film is formed in a strip shape and is wound around a core. The film is supplied in a film-roll form. Meanwhile, for the purpose of improving production efficiency and operating efficiency of a laminating apparatus, it is sometimes performed that an anterior end and a posterior end of the films are connected to form a train of the films . Thus , a replacing operation of the film roll is relieved.

In the above-mentioned laminating apparatus, surface conditions of the substrate are monitored by an optical monitor after joining of the substrate and the film to detect and remove defective joining of a void, film wrinkles and so forth. In the laminating apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-212488, a defect owned by the film itself is detected and removed to prevent a defective product from being cause due to the defect of the film itself.

In a case the film is inspected just before joining, it is required that the laminating apparatus is provided with an inspection device. In this case, there arises a problem in that cost of the laminating apparatus increases. Moreover, in changing a kind of the film, sometimes it is necessary to change the inspection device. Due to this, the cost further increases. Generally, in a film production line, the film is inspected after producing. It is useless to inspect the inspected film again. Further, since the defective portion of the film is detected just before joining, it is impossible to make a usage plan of the entire film in advance. There is a problem in that loss of the film increases .

In the meantime, a conventional laminating apparatus is temporarily stopped when a joining portion of the film has been fed. This kind of the apparatus is restarted after an operator has manually advanced the film to make the joining portion pass. However, such a manner causes a loss of operating time, and a loss of the film increases before and after the joining portion.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide laminating method and apparatus in which a loss of a film is reduced and operating efficiency is improved.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to achieve the above objects and other objects.

the laminating method according to the present invention comprises the step of obtaining defect-portion information representing a position and an area of a defective portion of a film drawn out of a film roll. The film is joined to a substrate by a joining device, which is changeable between a first state pressing the film against the substrate and a second state separating from the film. The laminating method further comprises the steps of detecting a carry position of the film, identifying a carry position of the defective portion based on the defect-portion information and the carry position of the film, and judging whether or not the defective portion is passing the joining device, on the basis of the carry position of the defective portion. The laminating method further comprises the step of setting the joining device to the second state and stopping feeding the substrate to the joining device while the defective portion passes the joining device.

In a preferred embodiment, the film includes a base film and a photosensitive resin layer formed on the base film, and the laminating method further includes the step of peeling the base film from the substrate in a state that the photosensitive resin layer is transferred to the substrate, after joining the film to the substrate.

The defect-portion information may be read from an information storage medium provided on the film roll. In another way, ID information may be read from the film roll, and the defect-portion information may be received online from a computer on the basis of the ID information. The computer stores the defect-portion information so as to relate this information to the ID information. It is preferable that the joining device is a pair of rollers to join the film and the substrate during movement thereof. Further, it is preferable that the defective portion is cut out

and discarded after passing the joining device. Incidentally, the defective portion includes a connection portion of the films .

The laminating apparatus according to the present invention comprises a film carrying device, a substrate feeding device, a Joining device, an input device, a carry-position detector, and a controller. The film carrying device carries the film, which is drawn out of the film roll, along a passage. The substrate feeding device feeds the substrates to the passage at predetermined intervals so as to confront the substrate with the film. The joining device joins the film to the substrate by pressing them while the film and the substrate are carried on the passage. The joining device is changeable between a first state pressing the film against the substrate and a second state separating from the film. The input device inputs the defect-portion information representing the position and the area of the defective portion of the film. The carry-position detector detects the carry position of the film. The controller controls the film carrying device, the substrate feeding device and the joining device. The controller executes the step of identifying the carry position of the defective portion based on the carry position of the film and the defect-portion information inputted from the input device . The controller further executes the steps of judging on the basis of the carry position of the defective portion whether or not the defective portion is passing the joining device, and setting the joining device to the second state and stopping feeding of the substrate while the defective portion passes the joining device.

In a preferred embodiment, the film includes the base film and the photosensitive resin layer formed on the base film, and the laminating apparatus further includes a base-film peeling device for peeling the base film from the substrate in the state that the photosensitive resin layer is transferred to the

substrate, after joining the film to the substrate.

It is preferable that the joining device is a pair of rollers to join the film and the substrate during movement thereof.

The input device may read the defect-portion information from the information storage medium provided on the film roll. The information storage medium is readable in any one of a contact manner, a noncontact manner and an optical manner. In another way, the input device may include a reader and a communication device. The reader reads the ID information from the information storage medium of the film roll. The communication device receives the defect-portion information online from the computer on the basis of the ID information. The computer stores the defect-portion information so as to relate this information to the ID information. It is preferable that the laminating apparatus further comprises a defect-portion discarding device for cutting and discarding the defective portion after the defective portion has passed the joining device.

According to the laminating method and apparatus of the present invention, joining is performed without using the defective portion of the film so that defective joining is prevented from being caused due to the defective portion . Further, since the defective portion is automatically removed, operating efficiency and production efficiency are prevented from deteriorating due to removal of the defective portion.

Brief Description of Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a film and a substrate joined by the laminating apparatus according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a section view showing a layer structure of the film;

Figures 3A to 3F are illustrations showing a joining process of the laminating apparatus;

Figure 4 is a development view showing an example of a defective portion of the film; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a film roll;

Figure 6 is a schematic illustration showing a structure of the laminating apparatus;

Figures 7A and 7B are schematic illustrations showing a structure of a joining area; Figure 8 is a block diagram showing a structure of the laminating apparatus;

Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the joining process;

Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the laminating apparatus of another embodiment; and Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the joining process of the laminating apparatus of another embodiment.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a substrate 2 to which a film is joined by the laminating method and apparatus according to the present invention. The substrate 2 is a thin plate made of transparent glass and plastic, for instance. The substrate 2 is used for a base of a color filter employed in a liquid-crystal display, a plasma display and so forth. Reference numeral 9 denotes a photosensitive resin layer composing the color filter. The photosensitive resin layer 9 is a part of a film 3 (see Fig. 2) to be joined to the substrate 2. After joining the photosensitive resin layer 9 to the substrate 2 , a predetermined pattern is left on the substrate 2 by exposure, development and cleaning to compose the color filter.

Incidentally, if the photosensitive resin layer 9 is exposed at a lateral side of the substrate 2 and dust rising in

processing adheres to the pattern, a no-good product is caused. In view of this, a joining area of the photosensitive resin layer 9 is adapted to be smaller than the substrate 2. Consequently, a joining surface of the substrate 2 is exposed around the photosensitive resin layer 9 so as to have a frame-like shape. Hereinafter, this frame-shaped portion is referred to as an outer frame 2a.

Figs. 3A to 3F are illustrations showing a procedure for joining the film 3 to the substrate 2. Fig. 3A shows an external shape of the film 3, which is a strip of film and is wound as a film roll 6 to be set to the laminating apparatus . As shown in the section view of Fig. 2, the film 3 is a layered product including the photosensitive resin layer and having a multilayer structure in which plural layers are stacked. The film 3 is composed of a base film 8, the photosensitive resin layer 9 and a protective film 10 stacked in this order from the bottom. Since the respective layers have flexibility, these layers are not damaged even though the layers are wound in the roll form.

Fig. 4 shows a development state of the film 3 drawn out of a film roll 6. For the purpose of improving production efficiency and operating efficiency of the laminating apparatus by reducing an exchange operation of the film roll 6 , an anterior end and a posterior end of the films 3 are connected to from a train of the films . If a connection portion 5 of the films 3 is joined to the substrate 2, the photosensitive resin layer 9 transferred to the substrate 2 is divided halfway. For this reason, the connection portion 5 is not used for joining to the substrate 2.

Meanwhile, when the film 3 is produced, sometimes a defect 7 of thickness unevenness , discoloration and so forth is partially caused on the film 3. In view of this, a defect-position inspection is performed to detect a position P and a scope S of

the defect 7 when the film 3 is produced. In the defect-position inspection, a position and a scope of the connection portion 5 are also detected.

As shown in Fig. 5, a radio IC chip 11, which is well-known as an information storage device, is attached to an outer circumference 4a of a core 4 of the film roll 6. The radio IC chip 11 stores defect-portion information obtained by the above-mentioned defect-position inspection. For example, the stored defect-portion information relates to lengths extending from a leading edge 3c of the film 3 to the connection portion

5 and the defects 7, and also relates to areas of each connection portion 5 and the defects 7. By the way, the radio IC chip 11 may be embedded in the outer circumference 4a of the core 4.

The film 3 set to the laminating apparatus is drawn out of the film roll 6 such as shown in Fig.3B. And then, the protective film 10 is cut at two intervals Ll and L2. The interval Ll is a length of an area to be joined to the substrate 2. The interval L2 is a length of a space interposed between the areas of the length Ll. Although the protective film 10 becomes a sheet-like shape by cutting, the protective film 10 stays on the photosensitive resin layer 9 without peeling therefrom. This process is called as half-cut process and is successively performed for the film 3 under the condition that the two intervals Ll and L2 are alternately used. Hereinafter, the portion for which the half-cut process has been performed is referred to as half-cut portion 3a, and the region for which the half-cut process has been performed at the interval L2 is referred to as residual region 3b.

As shown in Fig. 3C, attachment labels 13 are attached onto the sheet-shaped protective films 10a and 10b, for which the half-cut process has been performed, so as to straddle the residual region 3b. The attachment labels 13 are attached to a

posterior end of the preceding sheet-shaped protective film 10a and an anterior end of the succeeding sheet-shaped protective film 10b. When the protective film 10 is peeled from the film 3, the protective film 10 cut in the sheet shape is continuously peeled by the attachment labels 13 in a web-like form such as shown in Fig.3D. In this regard, the attachment labels 13 are not attached to the residual region 3b for the purpose of staying the residual region 3b of the protective film 10 on the film 3 at the time when the protective film 10 is peeled. As shown in Fig. 3E, the film 3 from which the protective film 10 is peeled is reversed and the photosensitive resin layer 9 is joined to an upper surface of the substrate 2. At the joining time, the substrate 2 and the film 3 are pressed by a pair of laminating rollers 16a and 16b. The laminating roller 16a is rotated by a motor 17. In virtue of this, the substrate 2 and the film 3 are joined and simultaneously carried.

Meanwhile, the substrates 2 are successively fed in order to join with the photosensitive resin layer 9. In consideration of variation of joining accuracy, when a feeding interval of the substrates 2 is 20± 5mm and a length L3 of the outer frame 2a is

1 to 5mm in the feeding direction for instance, the half-cut interval L2 becomes a length calculated by adding the feeding interval of the substrates 2 to the outer frames 2a of two substrates 2 of the preceding and following sides in the feeding direction.

As shown in Fig. 3F, the base film 8 is peeled after joining the photosensitive resin layer 9 to the substrate 2. In this way, only the photosensitive resin layer 9 remains on the substrate

2 and the state shown in Fig. 1 is obtained. Incidentally, the base film 8 may be peeled in a web state (hereinafter referred to as continuous type) , and may be peeled after being cut into a sheet shape corresponding to each substrate (hereinafter

referred to as sheet type).

Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration showing a structure of the laminating apparatus according to the present invention. The laminating apparatus 20 joins the substrate 2 and the film 3 while continuously carrying them. The laminating apparatus 20 comprises a film supplying zone 21 for supplying the film 3, a joining zone 22 for joining the substrate 2 and the film 3, a substrate heating zone 23 for heating and feeding the substrate 2, a substrate cooling zone 24 for cooling the substrate 2 after completion of joining, and a base peeling zone 25 for peeling the base film 8 from the film 3.

In the laminating apparatus 20, a first clean room 29a and a second clean room 29b are partitioned by a partition wall 28. The first clean room 29a contains the film supplying zone 21. The second clean room 29b contains the joining zone 22, the substrate heating zone 23 , the substrate cooling zone 24 and the base peeling zone 25. The first and second clean rooms 29a and 29b are connected via a through hole 28a.

In the substrate heating zone 23, the substrate 2 contained in a substrate stocker 33 is taken out by a robot 34 and is supplied to a substrate conveying mechanism 35. The substrate 2 heated in the substrate conveying mechanism 35 is fed into the joining zone 22. In the substrate cooling zone 24, the substrate 2 to which the film 3 is joined in the joining zone 22 is cooled by a cooling mechanism 37. In the base peeling zone 25, the base film 8 is peeled from the film 3 by a base peeling mechanism 39 to obtain the substrate 2 to which only the photosensitive resin layer 9 adheres. In addition, a joining position of the photosensitive resin layer 9 is measured by a measuring unit 40, and then the substrate 2 is loaded into a processed-substrate stocker 42 by a robot 41.

The film supplying zone 21 comprises a film advancing

mechanism 57, a processing mechanism 59, a label attaching mechanism 60 and a peeling mechanism 61. The film advancing mechanism 57 contains the film roll 6, in which the film 3 is wound in the roll form, and advances the film 3 from the film roll 6. The processing mechanism 59 performs the half-cut process for the protective film 10 of the advanced film 3. The label attaching mechanism 60 sticks the attachment labels 13 on the protective film 10. The peeling mechanism 61 peels the protective film 10 from the film 3 at predetermined intervals . An IC-chip reader 62 is disposed in the film advancing mechanism 57 as an information reader for reading the defect-portion information from the radio IC chip 11 of the core 4. The defect-portion information read by the IC-chip reader 62 is inputted into a laminate process controller 50 (see Fig. 8) controlling the whole of the laminating apparatus 20.

Moreover, the film advancing mechanism 57 is provided with a detection roller 54 for rotating in association with the film 3 put thereon, and a rotation counting sensor 55 for detecting rotations of the detection roller 54. Meanwhile, in the joining zone 22, a leading-edge sensor 56 is disposed to detect a leading edge of the film 3 drawn out of the film roll 6 at a start-up time of the laminating apparatus 20. Detection signals of the rotation counting sensor 55 and the leading-edge sensor 56 are inputted into the laminate process controller 50 to calculate a carry position of the film 3 on the basis of the inputted detection signals. These components constitute a carry-position detector for detecting the carry position of the film 3.

The joining zone 22 includes a tension control mechanism 65 for controlling tension of the film 3, a passage 66 onto which the substrate 2 and the film 3 are sent, and a joining mechanism 67 disposed at the passage 66. The photosensitive resin layer 9 exposed by peeling the protective file 10 is joined to the

substrate 2 by the joining mechanism 67. A contact prevention mechanism 68 , a preheater 69 and a detection camera 70 are disposed at an upstream side of a joining position of the joining mechanism 67. When the film is stopped and when preparation is conducted, the contact prevention mechanism 68 changes a transport route of the film 3 to be sent into the joining mechanism 67 for the purpose of separating the film 3 from the laminating roller and preventing thermal influence. The preheater 69 preheats the film 3 up to a predetermined temperature. The detection camera 70 detects the half-cut portion of the film 3.

Fig. 7A is a schematic illustration showing a structure of the passage 66 wherein the joining mechanism 67 and so forth are disposed. The joining mechanism 67 comprises laminating rollers 75a and 75b vertically arranged and heated up to a predetermined temperature. The respective laminating rollers 75a and 75b are composed of a columnar core, which is made of a metal and so forth, and a resilient material of silicon rubber and so forth coating the periphery of the core. Backup rollers 76a and 76b respectively come into contact with the peripheries of the laminating rollers 75a and 75b. The laminating roller 75a is rotated by a pulse motor to join the photosensitive resin layer 9 to the substrate 2 while interposing and carrying the film 3 and the substrate 2 with the laminating roller 75b.

The laminating roller 75b and the backup roller 76b are vertically movable between a press position, where the substrate 2 and the film 3 are pressed, and an evacuation position separated from the substrate 2. The backup roller 76b is vertically moved by an actuator 80 comprising a cylinder device, a solenoid and so forth. The laminating roller 75b is moved in association with the vertical movement of the backup roller 76b. Incidentally, the backup roller 76b is vertically moved by a roller clamper 81 as well via the actuator 80. The roller clamper 81 performs

vertical movement of the backup roller 76b by a motor and a cam mechanism, for example, to press the laminating roller 75b against the substrate 2 via the backup roller 76b.

At the downstream side of the joining mechanism 67, upstream film carrying rollers 85a, 85b and downstream film carrying rollers 86a, 86b are disposed to carry only the film 3 at the start-up time of the laminating apparatus 20. Moreover, upstream substrate carrying rollers 87a, 87b and downstream substrate carrying rollers 88a, 88b are disposed to simultaneously carry the substrate 2 and the film 3 at the joining time thereof. Further, auxiliary rollers 89 for assisting the movement of the substrate 2 are disposed so as to rotate in association with the substrate 2 placed thereon. The upstream film carrying roller 85a, the downstream film carrying roller 86a, the upstream substrate carrying roller 87a and the downstream substrate carrying roller 88a are rotated by motors not shown, and the other rollers are rotated in association with the movement of the substrate 2 and the film 3.

The rollers 85b, 87a, 87b, 86b, 88a and 89 are vertically moved by roller moving units, or actuators 92 to 97 respectively. When only the film 3 is carried, the upstream film carrying roller 85b and the downstream film carrying roller 86b are moved to carry positions where these rollers come into contact with the photosensitive resin layer 9 of the film 3. Further, the upstream substrate carrying rollers 87a and 87b, the downstream substrate carrying roller 88a and the auxiliary rollers 89 are moved to evacuation positions separated from the film 3, and are prevented from coming into contact with the photosensitive resin layer 9 and from being soiled thereby. Meanwhile, as shown in Fig. 7B, when the substrate 2 and the film 3 are joined and carried, the upstream substrate carrying rollers 87a and 87b, the downstream substrate carrying roller 88a

and the auxiliary rollers 89 are moved to carry positions where these rollers come into contact with the substrate 2 and the base film 8 of the film 3. At this time, the upstream film carrying roller 85b and the downstream film carrying roller 86b are moved to evacuation positions where these rollers are separated from the substrate 2. In virtue of this, the photosensitive resin layer 9 having adhered to these rollers at the carrying time of the film 3 is prevented from soiling the substrate 2.

Incidentally, reference numeral 71 denotes an end-portion cutting mechanism for cutting the anterior end of the film 3 at a time of commencement of operation, and reference numeral 72 denotes a middle-portion cutting mechanism for cutting the film 3 between the substrates 2 when a trouble has occurred in the apparatus. Further, reference numeral 100 denotes an auxiliary roller for guiding the film 3 at a time when the film 3 cut by the end-portion cutting mechanism 71 is discarded from the passage 66. The end-portion cutting mechanism 71 and the auxiliary roller 100 compose a disposal unit.

As shown in Fig. 8, the laminating apparatus 20 is totally controlled via the laminate process controller 50. For example, a substrate heating controller 51, a laminate controller 52 and a base peeling controller 53 are provided for the respective function parts of the laminate apparatus 20. These controllers 51,52 and 53 are connected via a process network and are controlled by the laminate process controller 50. The laminate process controller 50 is connected to a factory CPU 49 via a factory network to perform production information processing of operation management and production management on the basis of instruction information (condition setting and production information) sent from the factory CPU 49.

The laminate process controller 50 also works as a controller for discarding the defect 7 and the connection portion

5 of the film 3 on the basis of the defect-portion information, which is inputted from the IC-chip reader 62, and the carry- position of the film 3, which is calculated from the detection signals of the rotation counting sensor 55 and the leading-edge sensor 56.

The substrate heating controller 51 controls the substrate heating zone 23, and the base peeling controller 53 controls the base peeling zone 25. The laminate controller 52 controls the film supplying zone 21, the joining zone 22 and the substrate cooling zone 24. At the same time, the laminate controller 52 controls the respective function parts as a master of the entire process .

Next, an operation of the above embodiment is described below with reference to a flowchart shown in Fig 9. As preparation for operating the laminating apparatus 20, the film roll 6 is set to the film advancing mechanism 57. At this time, the defect-portion information stored in the radio IC chip 11 is read by the IC-chip reader 62 and is inputted into the laminate process controller 50. Successively, the film 3 is manually drawn out of the film roll 6 and the leading edge 3c thereof is set between the downstream film carrying rollers 86a and 86b of the passage 66. The manually drawn portion of the film 3 is discarded without being used for joining to the substrate 2. When the laminating device 20 is kept in the preparation state, the respective rollers of the passage 66 are moved to the evacuation positions. Consequently, the respective rollers are prevented form being soiled by the photosensitive resin layer 9.

Upon starting the laminating apparatus 20, the laminate controller 52 controls the actuators 92 and 95 to move the upstream film carrying roller 85b and the downstream film carrying roller 86b upward to the carry positions, as shown in Fig. 7A. In

addition, the laminate controller 52 rotates a motor, which is not shown, to carry the film 3 downward via the auxiliary roller 100.

In an early stage of the carrying time of the film 3, the leading edge 3c is detected by the leading-edge sensor 56, and the rotations of the roller 54 are detected by the rotation counting sensor 55. The detection signals of these sensors and the defect-portion information are inputted into the laminate process controller 50. On the basis of the inputted detection signals, the laminate process controller 50 calculates the carry position of the film 3. The calculated carry position of the film 3 is checked against the defect-portion information to identify the carry positions of the connection portion 5 and the defect 7. After carrying the manually drawn portion of the film 3, the laminate process controller 50 cuts the film 3 with the end-portion cutting mechanism 71 and discards the cut film 3. And then, the substrate 2 is timely fed into the joining zone 22 so as to avoid the connect portion 5 and the defect 7. As shown in Fig. 7B, the laminate controller 52 moves the laminating roller 75b and the backup roller 76b to the press position to join the substrate 2 and the film 3. Further, the laminate controller 52 controls the actuators 92 to 97 to move the upstream film carrying roller 85b and the downstream film carrying roller 86b to the evacuation positions, and to move the upstream substrate carrying rollers 87a and 87b, the downstream substrate carrying roller 88a, and the auxiliary roller 89 to the carry positions. In virtue of this, the substrate 2 and the film 3 are carried without transferring the photosensitive resin layer 9, which has adhered to the film carrying rollers 85b and 86b, to the substrate 2.

When the connection portion 5 and the defect 7 reach the

joining zone 22, the laminate process controller 50 controls the substrate heating controller 51 so as not to feed the substrate 2 into the joining zone 22. Further, such as shown in Fig. 7A, the laminate process controller 51 controls the laminate controller 52 to move the laminating roller 75b, the upstream substrate carrying rollers 87a and 87b, the downstream substrate carrying roller 88a, and the auxiliary rollers 89 to the evacuation positions. At this time, the upstream film carrying roller 85b and the downstream film carrying roller 86b are moved to the carry positions to transfer only the film 3 and to make the defective portion pass the press position of the joining mechanism 67.

The defective portion of the film 3 having passed the press position of the joining mechanism 67 is cut by the end-portion cutting mechanism 71 and is discarded downward via the auxiliary roller 100.

After the defective portion has passed the joining mechanism 67, feeding the substrate 2 is resumed. In addition, the laminating roller 75b is moved to the press position to join the substrate 2 and the film 3. Further, the upstream film carrying roller 85b and the downstream film carrying roller 86b are moved to the evacuation positions . At this time, the upstream substrate carrying rollers 87a and 87b, the downstream substrate carrying roller 88a and the auxiliary rollers 89 are moved to the carry positions. Under this condition, the substrate 2 and the film 3 joined to each other are carried to the substrate cooling zone 24.

As described above, the defective portion of the film 3 is prevented from joining to the substrate 2. Thus, it is prevented that a joining defect is caused by the defective portion of the film 3. Moreover, since the defective portion is automatically removed, operating efficiency and production efficiency are

improved. Further, since the defect-portion information of the film can be obtained before the start of joining, the film can be economically used. Furthermore, since the defective portion of the film 3 is cut and discarded, the defective portion is prevented from being mistakenly used.

In the above embodiment, the radio IC chip 11 attached to the core 4 is used as an information storing member. However, it is also possible to utilize an IC tag and a label on which a bar code or a two-dimensional bar code is printed. The information storing member may be attached to an inner side of the core 4, an end surface thereof, and a label used for sealing the leading edge of the film roll 6 besides the outer circumference 4a of the core 4. As to an attaching method, it is possible to use various methods of adhering, embedding and so forth. In particular, when the information is read in a noncontact manner, it is unnecessary to expose the information storing member to the outside.

In the above embodiment, the defect-portion information is read from the radio IC chip 11 to be the information storing member. However, the defect-portion information may be received online. In another embodiment described below, the defect-portion information is read online. In this embodiment, a component identical with that of the foregoing embodiment is denoted by the same reference numeral and detailed description thereof is omitted.

In the laminating apparatus 110 shown in Fig. 10, the radio IC chip attached to the film roll stores discrimination information of the film roll as ID information thereof. The discrimination information is read by an IC chip reader 111 and is inputted into a laminate process controller 112 by which the discrimination information of the film roll is sent to a factory CPU 113 via a factory network.

The factory CPU 113 stores results of the defect-position inspection, which has been performed in a production line of the film roll, so as to relate these results to the discrimination information of the film roll. On the basis of the discrimination information inputted from the laminate process controller 112, the defect-position information corresponding thereto is selected and is sent to the laminate process controller 112 via the factory network.

Similarly to the foregoing embodiment, the laminate process controller 112 identifies the carry position of the defective portion on the basis of the calculated carry position of the film and the received defect-portion information. And then, the substrate and the film are joined similarly to the foregoing embodiment . In this embodiment, the radio IC chip is used as a storing member for storing the discrimination information of the film roll. However, it is also possible to utilize an IC tag and a label on which a bar code or a two-dimensional bar code is printed.

The foregoing embodiment relates to the continuous type in which the base film 8 is peeled without cutting the film 3. The present invention, however, may be adopted to the sheet type in which the base film 8 is peeled after cutting the film 3 every substrate 2. Further, in the above-described laminating apparatus, one strip of the film 3 is joined to the substrates 2. The present invention, however, may be adopted to another laminating apparatus in which plural film strips are joined to the substrates in parallel. In this case, the defective portions of the respective films are automatically removed. Furthermore, in the foregoing laminating apparatus, the photosensitive resin layer is formed on the glass substrate of the color filter. The present invention, however, may be adopted to laminating apparatuses used for other products.

Industrial Applicability

The present invention is preferably applied to laminating method and apparatus in which a defective portion of the film is automatically removed.